Being Mute
by pantrycakeless
Summary: Cryogenically frozen, shipped off into space, and unfrozen several hundred years into the future can be a major shock for anybody. Being mute doesn't help the situation but Charlee does her best. OFC/Worf
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I'm only going to put this here once: I do not own any of these characters. Every chapter is a different point of view and each chapter varies greatly in length. As always, reviews and criticism are welcome. Thank you, pantrycakeless.

 **Lieutenant Worf POV**

* * *

 _'Lieutenant Worf. Meet me in sickbay.'_ Captain Picard ordered through the ships communications.

 _'Aye, sir. I'll be there shortly. Worf out.'_ As I hurried through the Enterprise's corridors to the sickbay level I couldn't help but wonder why the Captain would feel the need to send for a security officer to sickbay. We had yet to encounter another vessel or planet in the last three standard days. The doors to sickbay opened and just inside I could see the Captain, Commander Riker, Data, and Doctor Crusher crowded around the entrance to an isolation room.

"Ah, Lieutenant Worf. Thank you for joining us."

"Of course, Captain. May I ask what this is about?"

"Worf, do you remember about a year ago how we saved those cryogenically frozen humans?" Commander Riker asked.

"How could I forget it, Commander? Those people almost caused our deaths at the hands of the Romulans."

"Yes, you're quite right."

"Well I'm glad we all remember the same incident but I do have to get back to my patient so if you will excuse me?" Doctor Crusher said as she moved into the isolation room.

"Sir, what is this about?"

"Commander Data found another ship like the one from a year ago drifting through space. Except that this one had life signs instead of being dead before the cryogenics process. Well more specifically, one life sign onboard." Captain Picard explained.

"So you called me in to assess the threat this humanoid could have to the ship and its crew?"

"Correct Mister Worf." Riker stated.

"Captain! She's waking up!" Doctor Crusher called from the isolation room. Moving as one the four of us walked into the room.

"How long before she regains full consciousness, Doctor?" Commander Data asked.

"The hypo-spray I used should have had an immediate effect." After the doctor stated this I finally looked over to the patient and my breath seemed to catch in my throat for a moment.

The female lying on the bed was neither lean or thin like the females in Starfleet but she was not overly large either. Her size was just right but she was far too pale for my tastes. She also seemed to be too tense for someone still unconscious as well.

"I believe she is awake, sir. Her posture is too tense for unconsciousness." I observed to the Captain once I could catch my breath again.

"Sweetheart, it's alright. You don't have to be frightened. No one here will harm you." Doctor Crusher said soothingly.

"Captain, I believe Counselor Troi would be a good choice to have now. She may be able to help the girl." Commander Riker said.

"Good idea, Number One. Make it so." Captain Picard ordered.

 _'Counselor Troi to sickbay.'_

 _'Troi here. I am on my way.'_ She answered back. Meanwhile, Doctor Crusher continued to speak calmly and slowly to the female. When suddenly the female opened her eyes and bolted into a sitting position. I reacted just as quickly and pulled my phaser out and pushed the Captain behind me.

"Hello, my dear. I hope you slept well?" Captain Picard asked from behind me.

She looked over to the Captain at the sound of his voice and watched him closely as he approached her. When the Captain extended his hand she shook it and simply nodded. After they had released hands the female began to look around the isolation room but before she could make a full rotation around the room Counselor Troi entered the room and drew the female's gaze.

"Please forgive my rudeness, my dear. My name is Captain Jean-Luc Picard. The woman next to you is Doctor Beverly Crusher, Lieutenant Commander Data, Lieutenant Worf, Counselor Troi, and Commander Riker." As each of us was introduced she would meet our eyes and nod in greeting before moving on.

But when her gaze met the Commanders she started to visibly shake and she began to look around in terror before she bolted and ran to me, of all people. She clutched at my uniform. I could tell that she was also crying into my shirt because I could feel the tears slowly soaking my uniform. For some strange reason I felt elation that she would seek me out for protection and confusion at my elation.

"I am feeling extreme terror, Captain, but only when she looks to Commander Riker. After she rushed to Lieutenant Worf's arms a feeling of safety and a kind of warmth pushed the terror back. I am sorry but I do not think she will leave Worf's side until Riker leaves the room."

"Strange, Captain, but I will leave for the bridge if that is alright?"

"Of course, Commander. I will debrief you afterwards." The Captain promised. The Commander simply nodded and left.

"Be calm now, dearest. He is gone now and no one will harm you." Counselor Troi said as she slowly approached. I was suddenly overcome with the need to keep the female close and to never let her go. The feeling was so sudden and strong that my hold on her tightened for a moment before I released her. At my reaction Troi glanced at me but, thankfully, did not say anything aloud.

The female peaked over her shoulder to make sure that Riker had left. When she was certain that he was gone she visibly relaxed and left my arms. I tried to squash the disappointment and emptiness the female had left me with but judging from Troi's confused look I was not entirely successful. When I glanced down at the female all I could see was her light brown hair as she hung her head in shame.

"There is no need to feel shame, dearest. We all have fears we cannot control sometimes, it is understandable that you might hold fear for some of us." The female nodded and I noticed that she began to sway from side to side.

"Doctor!" I exclaimed as I moved closer to the female so that I could grab her before she fell to the ground.

"Bring her back to the med-bed, Worf. She is still weak from being in cryostasis."

"I do not recall the others we found like this being so weak when they woke up, Doctor." Data said.

"That's because they weren't, Data. They had been frozen after they died but she didn't have that luxury since she was still alive. Because of this she will have a much longer recovery time." Doctor Crusher explained while I settled the female back onto the bed.

"Interesting, thank you, Doctor. But it seems that my manners have left me yet again, dear. What is your name?" Captain Picard asked. The female began to make some gestures before looking at our confused faces.

"Captain. I believe that she is using a gesture based language. It actually looks quite similar to one I have already learned. If you would not mind I could interpret for you."

"Please do so, Mister Data."

"She's very amused, sir. She seems to find our dilemma quite comical." Troi said from beside the Captain. And it was true from what I could see of her face since she had a small smirk spread across her lips. Captain Picard also chuckled before he turned back to her.

"I suppose it is quite comical to you, my dear. Now forgive me but I still don't quite know what your name is. Could you please repeat it for me?" She nodded and repeated the gestures while partially turning to face Data.

"Hello, Captain. My name is Karlee." Data said in response. At his words 'Karlee' shook her head in the negative and repeated the sign that must be her name but slightly slower.

"I am sorry, sir, but I do not know the word she is spelling for me."

"Spell it for me, Commander Data." The Captain ordered.

"She is spelling C-H-A-R-L-E-E but that is not a name I am familiar with."

"It's pronounced Charlee, Mister Data, and was commonly used as a shortened name for Charlotte or Charles."

"Ah, I see." Surprisingly through this ordeal I had yet to leave Charlee's side and while I may have had to release her, she had yet to fully release me. It seemed that some part of her arm or hand was in constant contact with mine, even while she was signing. And if I were to be honest with myself, there was some part of me that rejoiced in the constant contact.

"Are you deaf, my dear?" The Captain asked. At his question she began to shake her head almost violently while she signed.

"No, Captain. My hearing is perfect. But I am, in fact, mute."

"Oh, forgive my rudeness."

"No need, Captain. Being mute is even harder to find than deafness, I presume." Data translated.

"Fascinating. Would you be opposed to a full medical examination, Miss Charlee?" Doctor Crusher asked.

"That would depend what that examination entailed, Doctor." Data answered while Charlee smirked. It took almost all of my self-control not to hold her close when she did that.

"Just me waving this over you while the computer gathered information. Maybe some blood samples." At the mention of blood Charlee latched onto my hand and moved herself more behind me as she remained on the bed. She than signed at Data with one hand.

"Only if he can stay, Doctor."

"Of course. I'll allow it if both the Captain and Lieutenant have no objections."

"Mister Worf isn't due on the bridge for one more standard day, so I have no objections."

"I would actually prefer to stay, if that is what you want." I said directly to Charlee. She nodded and put both of her hands around one of mine.

"Very well. We will continue our discussion after you are fully recovered and after the Doctor has finished her examination and tests, my dear." Captain Picard said and Charlee nodded in response.


	2. Chapter 2

**Counselor Deanna Troi POV**

* * *

As the Captain and I returned to the bridge we both became lost in thought. But when we reached the bridge he called Will and I to his ready room.

"Counselor Troi, report." He ordered as the ready room doors closed behind us.

"When I arrived to the sickbay I felt confusion and distrust from her until she saw Lieutenant Worf. When she looked at him her emotions changed to warmth and protectiveness and again her emotions changed to extreme terror when she saw Commander Riker. I do not believe she fears the Commander himself but someone of whom he reminds her of." I paused to see what their reactions would be.

"That would make sense, Captain. She has been in cryostasis for who knows how long and my family is from Earth. It's possible that I resemble an ancestor or even a stranger she may have known and feared."

"Hmm. Interesting. You look like you still have more to report, Counselor. Continue."

"Her emotions were not the only strong ones in the room, sir. Lieutenant Worf also had some strange emotions were the girl was concerned. His feelings are usually very structured and easy to filter through, especially when compared to humans, but for some reason when the girl ran to him for protection he felt elation and confusion and when she left his arms he felt a deep emptiness and disappointment. He also had a very strange reaction when I tried to comfort the girl. It was almost like he wished to take her away from me. I don't know what it means but we need to talk to him after Doctor Crusher is done with her tests."

"Fascinating. How far are we from a Federation Space Station so that she may return to Earth?" The Captain asked.

"Several days in the opposite direction of our current mission at maximum warp. Captain, I suggest we take the girl to a station after our mission. It will only delay her return for a standard month and she may appreciate the added time in order to adjust." William said.

"Very well, Number One. Continue our current course at Warp Five. It seems that Worf may hold some answers for us. Counselor Troi when Worf comes in I want you to focus on him while I question him about the girl." He ordered. I nodded my head in response.

 _'Lieutenant Worf to the Captain's Ready Room.'_

 _'I am on my way.'_


	3. Chapter 3

**Doctor Beverly Crusher POV**

* * *

"This just doesn't make any sense, Data! Her vocal chords are in perfect shape! There is no medical reason why she shouldn't be able to speak!" I ranted at Data in another room of the sickbay away from our most recent patient.

"Is it possible that she just never learned how to speak?" Data inquired.

"It's possible but highly unlikely."

"How long before you have the results from her bloodwork, Doctor?"

"It should be finished in the next minute or so. But, Data, have you noticed anything strange about Lieutenant Worf?"

"He seems to be very protective of the girl and she seems to be taking some kind of comfort from that. I do not find that so strange. Contrary to what some people might think, Klingons are very protective of those that are placed within their care. In fact, there are several- "

"Thank you, Data, but I believe that the bloodwork is done. Shall we find out what mysteries we can uncover with some new information?"

"After you, Doctor."


	4. Chapter 4

**Charlee POV**

* * *

"This doesn't make any sense, Data! Her vocal chords are in perfect shape!" I heard the doctor say from the other room. At her rant I bowed my head in shame and hoped that the big warrior beside me either couldn't hear them or didn't care enough to ask me. He saw how I bowed my head and he apparently didn't approve because he growled low in his throat before he spoke.

"Do not worry over what the doctor says. There is a blind man named Geordi who she hasn't been able to 'fix' either. He turned his weakness into a strength that the entire ship relies on and is now the Chief Engineer." He said when I looked up at him from the bed. When his words started to sink in I couldn't help but nod and smile.

 _'Lieutenant Worf to the Captain's Ready Room.'_

 _'I'm on my way.'_ He replied. As he began to move away from me I grabbed his arm before I could stop myself.

"It's alright. I need to go and speak to my captain and then I will be right back. I promise that I won't let anyone hurt you." I slowly released his arm and looked at the floor as I nodded my head in agreement. Before he left he placed his hand on the top of my head and gave it a little pat. My head immediately shot up and I playfully glared at him before I smiled to show that there were no hard feelings.


	5. Chapter 5

**Lieutenant Worf POV**

* * *

When I saw the fire enter her eyes as I patted her head as if she were a small child I knew that she was going to be alright in my absence. But I couldn't help but feel uneasiness at letting her out of my sight, if even for an hour or two. I hurriedly made my way out of sickbay as I pushed my discomfort to the back of my mind and tried to focus on the briefing the Captain might expect from me about our newest passenger.

"Ah, Mister Worf. How is our newest addition?" Riker asked me, once I reached the Captain's Ready Room.

"She is doing fine, sir." I said while standing at attention.

"I doubt she is doing fine. She's on a strange ship, with alien beings, and she's completely out of her time period. How could she be fine?" The Captain observed from behind his desk.

"Under the circumstances I believe that she is doing just fine, Captain. How many of us could say the same while in her situation?" I asked.

"Very true, Mister Worf. Has Commander Data had any other problems translating for her?" Command Riker asked from the Captain's sofa.

"Not to my knowledge. Commander Data and Doctor Crusher have been puzzling over her test results since the doctor completed her scans, a little over half an hour ago."

"Is that so. What are your thoughts on the girl, Worf?" The Captain asked.

"Sir?"

"Your thoughts, intuition, feelings about the girl." He said.

"She is different than most of the females in Starfleet. She reminds me of a female I know on Earth." I replied.

"That will be all, Mister Worf." Captain Picard said dismissively.

"Thank you, sir." I said as I made my way out of the room and back to sickbay.


	6. Chapter 6

**Counselor Deanna Troi POV**

* * *

After Worf left the Captain's Ready Room I turned to the Captain with a thoughtful expression.

"I felt a surge of protectiveness originating from Worf when you spoke of the girl. And annoyance when he talked about Beverly and Data."

"Interesting. It seems that the girl and Worf have some kind of connection. Do you think she might be an ancestor of the woman Worf knows on Earth?" Will asked from his corner of the couch.

"Not likely, Commander. I don't think many women of her time period would have willing left their children behind while they drifted off into space." The Captain said.

 _'Doctor Crusher. Please report to my ready room.'_ Captain Picard called out.

 _'On my way.'_ Beverly's voice answered back. All three of us sat in silence as we waited for Beverly to join us. When she did finally arrive Captain Picard almost immediately started asking about the girl.

"What's the girl's overall condition, Doctor?" The Captain asked.

"She's stable and it looks like she'll make a full recovery, Captain. But what puzzles me is her inability to speak. Her scans show everything in working order. There is no medical reason for her to be mute." As Beverly was giving her report to the Captain I felt extreme joy surging out of sickbay. So much of it that I couldn't contain a smile.

"What has you smiling, Deanna?" Will asked me.

"Joy. Immense joy, coming from sickbay. It's almost overwhelming."

 _'Captain to sickbay.'_

 _'Sickbay here, sir.'_ Data answered.

 _'Is there anything unusual happening down there, Data?'_

 _'Nothing unusual, sir. Lieutenant Worf just came back from his briefing and he immediately went to go see Miss Charlee.'_ Data reported. _'Why do you ask, Captain?'_

 _'Counselor Troi was picking up on a high surge of emotion coming from sickbay and I was concerned.'_

 _'Understood, sir. But all the two have done is try to communicate with one another. I was going to show her to the guest quarters next if Doctor Crusher approved it.'_

 _'You have permission, Data. Just don't put her quarters to far away from sickbay. I still want to monitor her.'_

 _'Of course, Doctor. Sickbay out.'_

"Does anyone else feel like this girl is going to be giving us a run for our money?" Will asked no one in particular.


	7. Chapter 7

**Lieutenant Commander Data POV**

* * *

"Miss Charlee, if you will please come with me. I can escort you to some quarters." I said as I walked into the room. She turned to me and nodded.

'Can Worf come with us?' She asked.

"She would like to know if you would be joining us, Worf?"

"Of course." As we slowly made our way out of sickbay and into the guest quarters we began a fascinating conversation, with me interpreting for Worf.

'Both of you are aliens, right?'

"That is correct. I am an android and Lieutenant Worf is a Klingon."

'An android is a robot humanoid, right?'

"That is correct."

'What is the sign for Android and Klingon?'

"I do not believe that there is one. I am the only one of my kind and the Klingons are a warrior race that have not developed a form of sign language."

'I will have to think of sign names for you then.'

"What is a 'sign name'?" Worf asked.

"A gesture used in place of spelling ones' name over and over. Do you have one Miss Charlee?"

'Yes. My name is the sign for music with the letter C instead of M.'

"Fascinating. I have read that sign names have been given great significance in Earth's Deaf Culture. Is this true where you come from?"

'For those not born or raised in the signing community, it is. Since sign names can only be given. You cannot make up your own.'

"Why is that?" Worf asked her.

'Sign names are usually based off your personality or an inside joke with friends or family. So one person can have multiple names depending on who they are with or they could have one name spread across the community.' She explained.

"Does yours have great significance?" I asked. She nodded but did not elaborate her answer. I surmised that she did not wish to tell us and since we had reached her quarters it was a good time to end the conversation.

"Here are your quarters, Miss Charlee. They are close to sickbay should you need any more medical attention."

'Thank you, Data, and Worf.'

"You are welcome. I will leave you to get acquainted with your rooms." I said as I walked to the nearby turbo-lift so that I could return to my duties on the bridge.


	8. Chapter 8

**Charlee POV**

* * *

After Data said his goodbyes and walked away, I tried to open the door to my room but it didn't open like any door I'd ever seen. After frustrating and fruitless minutes of me trying to open this seemingly impossible door it sprang open. I jumped back in shock and looked around to see that Worf had pressed his hand to the wall panel next to the door.

"Here. You put your hand onto this part of the wall and it will either open or chime depending on whose room it is." He explained. Then he closed the door and motioned for me to try. I, hesitantly, put my hand on the black square that was on the wall and the door immediately opened. I turned to Worf with, what I knew to be, the biggest and goofiest smile on my face.

I quickly walked into my room and beckoned for Worf to follow me. Slowly, I looked around and I began to get anxious again. There was nothing familiar about anything. It felt like I had entered a sci-fi film set.

"Are you hungry? Thirsty?" Worf asked as he watched me take in the alien room. I wasn't very hungry or thirsty but I didn't know how to get either of those things when Worf left so I nodded my head and looked around with a confused look on my face.

"Here." He said as he walked over to what looked like a double-stack oven on the opposite side of the room. Next to what looked like a dining/living area. "You type in the code for whatever you what and the Replicator will create it for you." He explained. I went to the oven-looking thing and saw that it had a display on it. The display had numbers and then an item listed next to that number.

"Watch." He said as he typed in 001 and then took a small step back. Underneath the display screen a light blinked on and the oven-thing made a strange noise before a glass of water appeared where the light had blinked on and where I would have put a dish into a regular oven. I picked up the glass of water and sniffed it before I took a small sip. It was cool and refreshing and didn't have any nasty mineral after-tastes, unlike regular tap water.

"You can do that for just about every kind of food. I recommend only eating things you know before you try something new. Some of the recipes in the ship's computers are inedible for Humans." Worf went on to explain. I nodded my head in understanding before I stepped closer to the oven-thing and swiped through some of the codes the screen displayed.

While I did this, I put the glass of water back onto the niche in the center to free my hand. The light blinked back on and then the oven made a different noise and the glass of water disappeared. I took a step back in surprise and almost ran into Worf. He chuckled at my response and began another explanation.

"Very good! You figured out how to take care of excess food and dirty dishes. Don't worry the first time I used a Replicator I had a similar reaction. Most Human technology takes some getting used to." He looked at a small device in his hand before he faced me again. "Unfortunately, I must be going now. I have a shift on the bridge tomorrow and I need to return to my quarters if I want to be able to get enough sleep. I'll show you how to turn the lights on low before I go." He said as he began to walk towards the door.

I began to feel a slight panic that when Worf leaves that I'll wake up from this bizarre and be back with Him. I rushed to Worf's side and held onto his arm with all the strength in my hands and fingers.

"It's alright, Miss Charlee. I'll be back tomorrow and I'll show you some more things around your room and maybe even take you on a small tour." He said to soothe my anxiety. I violently shook my head and dug my fingernails into his arm. Carefully, he removed my hands from his arm and moved us closer to the door.

"Watch. This is how you lock the door and turn the lights on low so that you can sleep. If you find that you still have trouble sleeping, type in this code and I'll know you need me to come in." He said in a low voice. As he said this he pointed to a button that had a lock on it, what looked like a dimmer switch, and the numbers 1 and 6. He then placed both of his hands around mine and made me look him in the eye.

"I won't let anything hurt you, Charlee. This I vow." He said in his deep voice. As I looked into his eyes I could tell that he meant it and his conviction and promise calmed my anxiety enough that I could release some of the tension held in my shoulders.

Worf watched the tension leave my shoulders and pulled away from me. He turned and began to walked out of the door and quickly moved through the corridor to the elevator looking thing. After the door closed I locked it and put my back against the door.

 _"I don't even know what year it is!"_ I thought. That seemed to jog more of my emotions out of place because I began to curl myself into a ball and cry. All the anxiety, terror, and pain I had been keeping at bay for the last month and a half began to pour from me in waves. A small part of me wondered if I would ever be able to stop crying.


End file.
